Too cute. That lion reminds me of my dog. So childlike. I wouldn't be surprised if that little girl grew up to become a Zoologist or large animal vet after that experience.
our dogs do that on our arm, legs, hands, whenever they want extra TCL. We can rub and snuggle them and if we stop and move our hand, they'll stick their head under it or "paw" at it for MORE. This is sad to me. :( Poor Lion.
That is just so sad to me. That poor lion. It's sad that these wonderful creatures are an object of entertainment for us. I love the zoo but it's always a bittersweet experience. The worst is when you see an animal with behavioral problems from being caged. I saw a bear in a zoo walk the same path over and over in complete despair. No interest in anything. Watching the gorillas and wolves really breaks my heart. Complete depression, is what I would say. Smart animals with a very complicated society who deserve respect. . Who would act like they would normally when being watched? Not even protons do that! Sorry for the rant.This makes me sad.
Here is how I have made my peace with zoos. They promote animal (and habitat) conservation. In the best situation, kids and parents learn and fall in love with the exotic creatures of the world that they will probably never see alive and will want to protect them. Another added plus, research (the good kind, like conservation research) is conducted in zoo's and with collaboration with other scientists.
But yeah, there is nothing worse than watching a huge carnivore pace back in forth in its cage.
And some zoos are terribly undersized (thinking of you Birmingham).
This little girl is never going to forget this lion! That is a wonderful thing.
luckylass:that's the main thing that makes them bearable. conservation. if you ever want to donate to a worthy cause you should check out http://www.cheetah.org/ and http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp. I usually give donations instead of gifts and tell others to do the same. Donate money instead of a x-mas gift. anyway, they are wonderful organizations that you might want to check out. and from personal experience, the wolf foundations mugs and sweatshirts are awesome. the cheetah foundation has adorable t-shirts for toddlers. hope you don't mind.
According to his behavior, he wants some interaction with her. He is not in predator mode at all. Remember, this is a lion that has been around humans probably his entire life. Yes, he's still a wild animal, but I really doubt he sees humans as a food source -- more like a source of food, if you get the distinction. He's pushing his head and face against the glass because he wants to rub his whiskers on her, marking her as "his." My cats do this to me all of the time.
As long as they are in a large, clean environment that is as "natural" as possible and are treated well, I don't have a problem with zoos. This cat's area looked to be pretty nice, actually. Zoo animals live longer, healthier lives, on average, than those in the wild.
A beautiful lion in a depressing environment. No matter how natural an environment a zoo attempts to create, it is still a confined and unnatural space for an animal to live in.
You may like to watch videos of cute-looking animals on YouTube, but be advised: Some of these animals would like to eat your children. That seemed to be the message of the new video "Lion tries to eat baby," which went viral on YouTube this month. The video shows a lioness at the Oregon Zoo clawing at the glass and trying to get its jaws around a toddler's head, all while only centimetres from the child's face. This is not the first time such an event has been captured on video. Indeed, videos of lions clawing at children represent their own tiny YouTube subgenre. Transfixed by these clips, we decided to ask an expert who has worked with these ferocious beasts to explain what is actually going on. Are they really trying to eat these children, or are they only exhibiting playful behaviour? Probably both. Lions, it turns out, like playing with their food. Craig Packer of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota noted that while "some of the lions look quite playful in their attempts ... sometimes lions and cheetah will spend several minutes playing with wildebeest calves or gazelle fawns before finally chomping them". He added that "predators generally treat calves/fawns/babies differently from adults because they are such easy prey; there's no real chance of escape, so what's the hurry?"
That was so precious, and that little girl seems intuitive with animals. I've always hated circuses, but now that I think of it, zoos are only slightly better.
@abaddon- thanks! I am a biologist, although I don't specialize on animals, I appreciate practically everything living and non living on this planet. Sadly, there will more cases of species only living in captivity, due to poaching but more importantly, habitat destruction. Nonprofits that buy up land for conservation are a wonderful thing. Thanks to you and for all who support them!
Google lion zoo attack videos.. Almost every kid is wearing
A) a hoodie B) something printish
My partner and I were watching a bunch of these ( randomly ) the other day and he pointed out this fact and it actually was true for most of the kids under 5 who attracted the lions and lionesses.. Maybe they look like little safari tater tots:)
What Texshan said. Feline behavior is fairly uniform across the genus. That's just a kitty who wants a skritch under the chin. A very, very big kitty.
Wild animals aren't so wild in the wild, if you get my meaning. I've run into black bears hiking many times. As long as you don't get between mom and her cubs, you'll be fine.
That said, people who hike unarmed in Alaska are walking grizzly dinners....
You guys can believe he's just being cuddly, but as I posted above, the experts say he's playing with what he thinks is food. This is not innocent behavior on his part. Do you see the way he's looking at the boy and then the person with the camera? He is seeing fresh food before his eyes.
Large, predatory mammals (lions, tigers, bears--oh my!) in zoos are far more bored than they are hungry. Most were born in captivity and have very little prey drive. They're still very dangerous due to innate predatory instincts (thus the not infrequent instances of zookeepers and handlers who get mauled and killed), but they're not semi-constantly in hunting mode like their wild brethren.
If that glass panel had magically disappeared, the little girl probably could have scratched that lion under the chin and lived. Probably.
He looks more like he wants his head scratched than anything else. As someone pointed out, they're big cats, but they're still cats. Vicki, I'm trying to remember what animal it was (tigers, I believe) but there was a shoot-to-kill policy adopted against poachers on this wildlife preserve in India recently. Seems harsh, but if they aren't stopped, they will lose every tiger in their facility.
Oddly enough I was just having this conversation with my boyfriend earlier tonight at the pool. He mentioned how fun it would be to swim with whales/sea lions etc (that were in a facility, of course) and while my goal is to graduate with a Marine Biology degree, I can't say I agreed with him. We often ascribe human characteristics to animals (both domestic and wild) and first and foremost that is a mistake. They have instincts that are 'always' there, born in captivity or not. This is why even after domesticating dogs for thousands of years, they remain 'pack' animals. That lion would have gobbled up anyone who couldn't outrun him in a heartbeat. Probably simply disabled the children and galloped after a running adult first and foremost. These animals deserve our respect, not us trying to ascribe what they are feeling or why they are reacting the way they do.
..and I am all for animal sanctuary's. I think it's a fantastic tool for teaching both children and adults how big the world actually is while protecting endangered species and allowing them to live in comfort
I have a little experience with exotics. They do see kids as meal sized therefor prey. Their attitudes change dramatically based on hunger level though. This guy is well fed. She was very interesting, he wanted scratches, he wanted to rub against her and play with her. They dont realize however that we have what amounts to paper skin. One swipe with that paw and a delicate human is maimed for life. I scratched behind a cougars ears, it in a cage, me out. It purred and rubbed just like a house cat. Super soft. It was tame but its friends in the next cage down were eying my young son and pacing. They wanted him to run so they could chase him.
"That lion would have gobbled up anyone who couldn't outrun him in a heartbeat."
No, he wouldn't. You should seriously read up on animal physiology and feeding patterns before you think of taking your degree. For instance, just a short cruise from here are some of the most accessible killer whale pods in continental US waters. People sea-kayak among them regularly. How? Because the whales are well-fed on sea lions most of the time they're in these waters.
That lion doesn't want to "play & cuddle". What a moron. It wants to kill her bc she's in his territory. Lions in captivity should not be behaving this way. I've seen other vids of this same lion. I think it has issues, is lonely & sad. This is what humans do to animals. So sad.
Hahaha tell you what B. Profane. If and when you receive your degree in Marine Biology, I'll listen to you. Until then I will take anything you say on the subject with a huge grain of (Sea) salt. Thanks.
The lion being trapped behind the glass makes me sad
ReplyDeleteNot sure how to feel about this. it's *cute*, it's sad.
ReplyDeleteToo cute. That lion reminds me of my dog. So childlike. I wouldn't be surprised if that little girl grew up to become a Zoologist or large animal vet after that experience.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that lion wants to cuddle.
ReplyDeleteLove it
ReplyDeleteYou can see the CAT qualities in the lion. "rub my whiskers and now now just rub my head there and now now rub my whiskers again"
Love it!
Thank you Enty!
our dogs do that on our arm, legs, hands, whenever they want extra TCL. We can rub and snuggle them and if we stop and move our hand, they'll stick their head under it or "paw" at it for MORE. This is sad to me. :( Poor Lion.
ReplyDeleteNot a kitten, but it will do.
ReplyDeleteAnd all of a sudden the lion reaches behind his back and produces a glass cutter.
ReplyDeleteOh Vicki....
ReplyDeleteAh, no, lion wants to eat. Ever see a cat catch a mouse, they rake it with their claws.
ReplyDeleteVICKI!
ReplyDelete:)
It's. So. Dusty. In. Here. My eyes...it's just the dust.
ReplyDeleteIf someone wants more cat stuff..go here. This kitten is ADORABLE
ReplyDeletehttp://gawker.com/5927425/cute-kitten-attack-offers-much+needed-antidote-to-awfulness#13427185438624
This is what the lion is thinking:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/imgres?start=234&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1C1CHMO_en&biw=1280&bih=909&addh=36&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=09b__dLg5EwbhM:&imgrefurl=http://www.simplybest10.com/top-10-most-dangerous-animals-on-the-planet/&docid=8-eLFlUazdHhOM&imgurl=http://www.simplybest10.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/African-Lion.jpg&w=450&h=300&ei=UFsIULO0FOKk2gXbn93jBA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=308&sig=105130575103206768265&page=11&tbnh=162&tbnw=216&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:234,i:106&tx=96&ty=134
Misch, I've seen too many Bugs Bunny cartoons.
ReplyDeleteAww, it seems sad to me:-(
ReplyDeleteawwww, the poor lion...I hate that these poor animals are trapped.
ReplyDeleteThat is just so sad to me. That poor lion. It's sad that these wonderful creatures are an object of entertainment for us. I love the zoo but it's always a bittersweet experience. The worst is when you see an animal with behavioral problems from being caged. I saw a bear in a zoo walk the same path over and over in complete despair. No interest in anything. Watching the gorillas and wolves really breaks my heart. Complete depression, is what I would say. Smart animals with a very complicated society who deserve respect. . Who would act like they would normally when being watched? Not even protons do that! Sorry for the rant.This makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteHere is how I have made my peace with zoos. They promote animal (and habitat) conservation. In the best situation, kids and parents learn and fall in love with the exotic creatures of the world that they will probably never see alive and will want to protect them. Another added plus, research (the good kind, like conservation research) is conducted in zoo's and with collaboration with other scientists.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, there is nothing worse than watching a huge carnivore pace back in forth in its cage.
And some zoos are terribly undersized (thinking of you Birmingham).
This little girl is never going to forget this lion! That is a wonderful thing.
alive in the wild
ReplyDeleteI'm with the majority. So sad...too bad a**holes kill these animals for sport and fur for KK et al.
ReplyDeleteVicki, Vicki, Vicki.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cuuute lion.....
It's sad to watch, looking at how lonely the lion must feel. The actual interaction is cute, but just very sad.
ReplyDeleteAudrey, there are very few things on the planet that piss me off more than poaching. Someone needs to start poaching poachers for a change.
ReplyDeleteluckylass:that's the main thing that makes them bearable. conservation. if you ever want to donate to a worthy cause you should check out http://www.cheetah.org/
ReplyDeleteand http://www.wolf.org/wolves/index.asp.
I usually give donations instead of gifts and tell others to do the same. Donate money instead of a x-mas gift. anyway, they are wonderful organizations that you might want to check out. and from personal experience, the wolf foundations mugs and sweatshirts are awesome. the cheetah foundation has adorable t-shirts for toddlers. hope you don't mind.
Sorry guys, he wants to eat those kids. Don't mess with wild animals. He cannot ignore his instincts.
ReplyDeleteYep, cute and sad... :-/
ReplyDeleteAccording to his behavior, he wants some interaction with her. He is not in predator mode at all. Remember, this is a lion that has been around humans probably his entire life. Yes, he's still a wild animal, but I really doubt he sees humans as a food source -- more like a source of food, if you get the distinction. He's pushing his head and face against the glass because he wants to rub his whiskers on her, marking her as "his." My cats do this to me all of the time.
ReplyDeleteAs long as they are in a large, clean environment that is as "natural" as possible and are treated well, I don't have a problem with zoos. This cat's area looked to be pretty nice, actually. Zoo animals live longer, healthier lives, on average, than those in the wild.
A beautiful lion in a depressing environment. No matter how natural an environment a zoo attempts to create, it is still a confined and unnatural space for an animal to live in.
ReplyDeleteFurther reading:
ReplyDeleteYou may like to watch videos of cute-looking animals on YouTube, but be advised: Some of these animals would like to eat your children. That seemed to be the message of the new video "Lion tries to eat baby," which went viral on YouTube this month. The video shows a lioness at the Oregon Zoo clawing at the glass and trying to get its jaws around a toddler's head, all while only centimetres from the child's face.
This is not the first time such an event has been captured on video. Indeed, videos of lions clawing at children represent their own tiny YouTube subgenre.
Transfixed by these clips, we decided to ask an expert who has worked with these ferocious beasts to explain what is actually going on. Are they really trying to eat these children, or are they only exhibiting playful behaviour?
Probably both. Lions, it turns out, like playing with their food. Craig Packer of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota noted that while "some of the lions look quite playful in their attempts ... sometimes lions and cheetah will spend several minutes playing with wildebeest calves or gazelle fawns before finally chomping them". He added that "predators generally treat calves/fawns/babies differently from adults because they are such easy prey; there's no real chance of escape, so what's the hurry?"
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/why-lions-want-to-eat-your-children-20120515-1yo5a.html#ixzz216Yt5nsR
Aslan?
ReplyDeleteThat was so precious, and that little girl seems intuitive with animals. I've always hated circuses, but now that I think of it, zoos are only slightly better.
ReplyDelete@anna schmidt, Yes!
ReplyDelete@abaddon- thanks! I am a biologist, although I don't specialize on animals, I appreciate practically everything living and non living on this planet. Sadly, there will more cases of species only living in captivity, due to poaching but more importantly, habitat destruction. Nonprofits that buy up land for conservation are a wonderful thing. Thanks to you and for all who support them!
ReplyDeleteGoogle lion zoo attack videos.. Almost every kid is wearing
ReplyDeleteA) a hoodie
B) something printish
My partner and I were watching a bunch of these ( randomly ) the other day and he pointed out this fact and it actually was true for most of the kids under 5 who attracted the lions and lionesses.. Maybe they look like little safari tater tots:)
* animal printish
DeleteWhat Texshan said. Feline behavior is fairly uniform across the genus. That's just a kitty who wants a skritch under the chin. A very, very big kitty.
ReplyDeleteWild animals aren't so wild in the wild, if you get my meaning. I've run into black bears hiking many times. As long as you don't get between mom and her cubs, you'll be fine.
That said, people who hike unarmed in Alaska are walking grizzly dinners....
You guys can believe he's just being cuddly, but as I posted above, the experts say he's playing with what he thinks is food. This is not innocent behavior on his part. Do you see the way he's looking at the boy and then the person with the camera? He is seeing fresh food before his eyes.
ReplyDelete@luckylass - ITA with you re zoos.
ReplyDelete@Vicki - one can NEVER watch too many Bugs Bunny cartoons!
Large, predatory mammals (lions, tigers, bears--oh my!) in zoos are far more bored than they are hungry. Most were born in captivity and have very little prey drive. They're still very dangerous due to innate predatory instincts (thus the not infrequent instances of zookeepers and handlers who get mauled and killed), but they're not semi-constantly in hunting mode like their wild brethren.
ReplyDeleteIf that glass panel had magically disappeared, the little girl probably could have scratched that lion under the chin and lived. Probably.
It looks like CGI
ReplyDeleteHe looks more like he wants his head scratched than anything else. As someone pointed out, they're big cats, but they're still cats.
ReplyDeleteVicki, I'm trying to remember what animal it was (tigers, I believe) but there was a shoot-to-kill policy adopted against poachers on this wildlife preserve in India recently. Seems harsh, but if they aren't stopped, they will lose every tiger in their facility.
Ummm, looks like a BOY, a girl & a lion to me.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, looks like a BOY, a girl & a lion to me.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough I was just having this conversation with my boyfriend earlier tonight at the pool. He mentioned how fun it would be to swim with whales/sea lions etc (that were in a facility, of course) and while my goal is to graduate with a Marine Biology degree, I can't say I agreed with him.
ReplyDeleteWe often ascribe human characteristics to animals (both domestic and wild) and first and foremost that is a mistake. They have instincts that are 'always' there, born in captivity or not. This is why even after domesticating dogs for thousands of years, they remain 'pack' animals.
That lion would have gobbled up anyone who couldn't outrun him in a heartbeat. Probably simply disabled the children and galloped after a running adult first and foremost.
These animals deserve our respect, not us trying to ascribe what they are feeling or why they are reacting the way they do.
..and I am all for animal sanctuary's. I think it's a fantastic tool for teaching both children and adults how big the world actually is while protecting endangered species and allowing them to live in comfort
I have a little experience with exotics. They do see kids as meal sized therefor prey. Their attitudes change dramatically based on hunger level though. This guy is well fed. She was very interesting, he wanted scratches, he wanted to rub against her and play with her. They dont realize however that we have what amounts to paper skin. One swipe with that paw and a delicate human is maimed for life.
ReplyDeleteI scratched behind a cougars ears, it in a cage, me out. It purred and rubbed just like a house cat. Super soft. It was tame but its friends in the next cage down were eying my young son and pacing. They wanted him to run so they could chase him.
"That lion would have gobbled up anyone who couldn't outrun him in a heartbeat."
ReplyDeleteNo, he wouldn't. You should seriously read up on animal physiology and feeding patterns before you think of taking your degree. For instance, just a short cruise from here are some of the most accessible killer whale pods in continental US waters. People sea-kayak among them regularly. How? Because the whales are well-fed on sea lions most of the time they're in these waters.
That lion doesn't want to "play & cuddle". What a moron. It wants to kill her bc she's in his territory. Lions in captivity should not be behaving this way. I've seen other vids of this same lion. I think it has issues, is lonely & sad. This is what humans do to animals. So sad.
ReplyDeleteI HATE ZOOS, AND I DESPISE CIRCUSES
ReplyDeletebecause the animals don't have a choice.
Hahaha tell you what B. Profane. If and when you receive your degree in Marine Biology, I'll listen to you.
ReplyDeleteUntil then I will take anything you say on the subject with a huge grain of (Sea) salt. Thanks.
soooooo cuuuuute!!!!!so would have like to be at the lion's plavc:e
ReplyDelete@anna schmidt - HA! That made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful creatures, aren't they?
I went to SeaWorld years ago and felt horribly guilty later when I read up on some of their treatment of animals. Sigh. So depressing.
Sad lion wants to go home. :C
ReplyDeleteThat little girl had a connection with him, though... the little smile at the end was perfect.